GIS – Program and Region

Lead Organization:

Terra GIS LTD

Duration:

12/2014—12/2015

Overview:

Agricultural research must take into account the tremendous variability of farming contexts.  CCRP’s strategies and plans at the program, regional, and project levels should be informed by an understanding of where problems and conditions exist across the regions in which we work. Geographic information systems (GIS) offer tools to analyze and display spatial variability and could enhance the work of many projects that CCRP support.  The CCRP regions have made various efforts to utilize spatial analysis to inform their work. Based on the experience to date, it seems that a greater degree of support and coordination is needed to allow grantees, regional teams and other program representatives to effectively utilize GIS methods. This project allows GIS experts to provide coherent support for the use of open-source GIS technologies across the programs, with particular emphasis on the African CoPs. This support will be provided in collaboration with the Research Methods (RM) team and the national GIS experts that are funded and/or are working with CCRP.Visit the CCRP GIS newsletter blog site at: http://ccrpgissupport.blogspot.com Contact karsten@terragis.net to be added to the GIS newsletter distribution list or to be granted access to the GIS support Wiki.

Grant Aims:

To develop a consistent GIS platform for use by CCRP’s three African CoPs.To strengthen regional strategies based on more accessible and better spatial analysis tools and datasets. Regional teams will benefit from support in understanding spatial issues and processes of relevance to regional grantmaking and projects.To provide project teams with individual support for spatial analysis. Guides and datasets will be provided to “lower the bar” for use of GIS tools. Projects will be better able to locate their activities based on improved understanding of spatial patterns.To support grantees in mastering open-source GIS software.